Multi-fire lead screw stapling device

Abstract

A surgical stapling device comprises a housing and a plurality of cartridges that are coupled together to form a barrel that is rotatably supported within the housing. Each of the cartridges defines a plurality of staple pockets that support a plurality of staples. An anvil is pivotally coupled to the housing and is movable in relation to the barrel between an open position and a clamped position. A drive shaft extends through the housing and through the barrel and a pusher operatively connected to the drive shaft. The pusher is configured to translate through the barrel to eject the staples from the plurality of cartridges in response to actuation of the drive shaft. The barrel is positioned within the housing to align a first one of the plurality of cartridges with the anvil to eject the staples from the first cartridge upon movement of the pusher within the barrel through a first firing stroke and subsequently rotatable within the housing to align a second one of the plurality of cartridges with the anvil to eject the staples from the second cartridge upon movement of the pusher within the barrel through a second firing stroke.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A surgical stapling device comprising;
 a housing; 
 a plurality of cartridges which are coupled together to form a barrel, the barrel being rotatably supported within the housing, each of the cartridges defining a plurality of staple pockets and supporting a plurality of staples; 
 an anvil pivotally coupled to the housing, the anvil being movable in relation to the barrel between an open position and a clamped position; 
 a drive shaft extending through the housing and through the barrel; and 
 a pusher operatively connected to the drive shaft, the pusher being configured to translate through the barrel and to eject the staples from the plurality of cartridges in response to actuation of the drive shaft; 
 wherein the barrel is positioned within the housing to align a first one of the plurality of cartridges with the anvil to eject the plurality of staples from the first cartridge upon movement of the pusher through a first firing stroke and subsequently rotatable within the housing to align a second one of the plurality of cartridges with the anvil to eject the plurality of staples from the second cartridge upon movement of the pusher within the barrel through a second firing stroke. 
 
     
     
       2. The surgical stapling device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cartridges includes three cartridges. 
     
     
       3. The surgical stapling device of  claim 1 , wherein the drive shaft defines a helical thread and the pusher defines a threaded bore, the drive shaft extending through the threaded bore of the pusher such that rotatable movement of the drive shaft causes longitudinal movement of the pusher about the drive shaft and through the barrel. 
     
     
       4. The surgical stapling device of  claim 3 , further including an indexer supported about the drive shaft at a position distally of the pusher, the indexer being operatively engaged with the barrel and adapted to rotate the barrel after the first firing stroke of the pusher to align the second one of the plurality of cartridges with the anvil. 
     
     
       5. The surgical stapling device of  claim 4 , wherein the indexer includes a body having a plurality of fins and each of the plurality of cartridges defines a longitudinal channel, each of the longitudinal channels receiving one of the plurality of fins of the indexer to rotatably couple the indexer to the barrel such that rotation of the indexer about the drive shaft causes corresponding rotation of the barrel about the drive shaft. 
     
     
       6. The surgical stapling device of  claim 4 , wherein a distal end of the pusher is positioned to engage the indexer such that distal movement of the pusher within the barrel causes distal movement of the indexer within the barrel. 
     
     
       7. The surgical stapling device of  claim 6 , wherein the pusher includes a hub and a plurality of flexible arms that extend distally from the hub, the distal end of each of the flexible arms being positioned to engage the indexer to translate distal movement of the pusher into distal movement of the indexer. 
     
     
       8. The surgical stapling device of  claim 7 , wherein the indexer includes a body defining an annular rib, the distal end of the plurality of flexible arms of the pusher being positioned to engage the annular rib as the pusher is moved distally through the barrel to translate distal movement of the pusher into distal movement of the indexer. 
     
     
       9. The surgical stapling device of  claim 8 , wherein each of the flexible arms includes an inwardly extending protrusion, the inwardly extending protrusion being configured to engage and pass over the annular rib when the indexer reaches its distal-most position within the housing as the pusher is moved independently of the indexer to its distal-most position to releasably couple the pusher and the indexer, such that proximal movement of the pusher through a retraction stroke causes corresponding proximal movement of the indexer. 
     
     
       10. The surgical stapling device of  claim 9 , wherein the indexer body defines a cam slot and the drive shaft includes a shaft pin, the shaft pin being rotatable with the drive shaft and positionable within the cam slot of the indexer during the retraction stroke of the pusher to cause rotation of the indexer and the barrel within the housing. 
     
     
       11. The surgical stapling device of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cartridges is coupled together using dove-tail connectors. 
     
     
       12. The surgical stapling device of  claim 11 , further including an annular end cap having a plurality of posts, wherein each of the plurality of cartridges includes a distal end defining as blind bore, the blind bores of the plurality of cartridges receiving the posts of the end cap to secure the distal ends of the plurality of cartridges together. 
     
     
       13. The surgical stapling device of  claim 1 , further including a ratchet supported adjacent to the barrel, the ratchet being configured to permit rotation of the barrel within the housing in a first direction and prevent rotation of the barrel within the housing in a second direction. 
     
     
       14. The surgical stapling device of  claim 13 , wherein each of the plurality of cartridges defining the barrel defines a notch that is positioned to receive the ratchet. 
     
     
       15. The surgical stapling device of  claim 1 , wherein the pusher includes a clamping member that is positioned to engage the anvil to move the anvil from the open position to the clamped position. 
     
     
       16. The surgical stapling device of  claim 15 , wherein the clamp member includes a vertical strut and a curved beam, the vertical strut extending radially from a hub of the pusher and the curved beam being positioned transversely to the vertical strut. 
     
     
       17. The surgical stapling device of  claim 16 , wherein the vertical strut supports a knife. 
     
     
       18. The surgical stapling device of  claim 1 , wherein the pusher includes a plurality of pusher fingers, each of the plurality of pusher fingers being positioned to translate through respective slots defined by the plurality of cartridges to engage and eject the plurality of staples from the plurality of cartridges. 
     
     
       19. A surgical staple comprising:
 a backspan; 
 a first leg having a first length extending from one end of the backspan; 
 a second leg positioned within a common plane with the first leg and having a second length extending from the other end of the backspan, the first length being greater than the second length; 
 wherein the surgical staple has a non-deformed configuration and a deformed configuration, in the deformed configuration, the first leg being deformed towards the second leg and the second leg being undeformed. 
 
     
     
       20. The surgical staple of  claim 19 , wherein the backspan is V-shaped. 
     
     
       21. The surgical staple of  claim 19 , wherein the first length is between 2 and 10 times greater than the second length. 
     
     
       22. The surgical staple of  claim 19 , wherein the first length is between 4 and 8 times greater than the second length.